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Alan Vega
Station
Mute
Posted: Wednesday, September 05, 2007
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor
Latest album from influential artist/musician features an old-school aesthetic that will please some, but surely alienate many.
While many may still remember him for his work in the seminal punk/electro outfit Suicide, Alan Vega has made a name for himself over the last two-and-a-half decades as an intriguing force in underground music. Like many of the early rock and industrial pioneers, Vega's output is derived as much from the visual arts as it is from actual music, releasing several albums and showcasing numerous art exhibitions over the years. His unique vocal style has been said to stem from his roots in New York City blues and rockabilly music. His 1999 album was titled 2007, an almost prophetic title as he would not release another solo album until this year, culminating in Station.
Like many of his contemporaries, Vega's sound is more informed by an old-school aesthetic, more akin to the cut-up sample collages of groups like Throbbing Gristle and Clock DVA. A perfect example of this is "Station Station," in which Vega's radio-effected voice calls out amidst an atmospheric drone augmented by a distorted sample from Jon Secada's "Just Another Day." The track is almost reminiscent of a Timothy Leary session gone awry. In point of fact, much of the album is a rather droning mix of noisy samples and simplistic loops, spliced together to create an audio patchwork that sends the listener into all sorts of mental directions at once. The only traces of melody come from the short vocal bursts of Liz Lamere, Vega's wife and longtime collaborator, whose voice on "Traceman" and "Why Couldn't It Be You" gives the tracks some sort of musical footing for the listener to grasp. Another notable track is "Warrior, Fight Fa Ya Life" with its urban-style breakbeats and just a hint of glitch, proving that Vega is not completely anachronistic with his approach.
Still, given the monotonous nature of many of the tracks on Station, fans of modern electronic music will find difficulty finding enjoyment with this. Vega's vocals are rather sparse with their rockabilly-esque inflections and pseudo-political undertones, sure to remind many of Genesis P'Orridge, though not nearly as cheeky. All in all, Station is an interesting affair that will please aficionados of old-school industrial and avant-garde electronic, although that is a rather selective audience, thus limiting the album's appeal.
Like many of his contemporaries, Vega's sound is more informed by an old-school aesthetic, more akin to the cut-up sample collages of groups like Throbbing Gristle and Clock DVA. A perfect example of this is "Station Station," in which Vega's radio-effected voice calls out amidst an atmospheric drone augmented by a distorted sample from Jon Secada's "Just Another Day." The track is almost reminiscent of a Timothy Leary session gone awry. In point of fact, much of the album is a rather droning mix of noisy samples and simplistic loops, spliced together to create an audio patchwork that sends the listener into all sorts of mental directions at once. The only traces of melody come from the short vocal bursts of Liz Lamere, Vega's wife and longtime collaborator, whose voice on "Traceman" and "Why Couldn't It Be You" gives the tracks some sort of musical footing for the listener to grasp. Another notable track is "Warrior, Fight Fa Ya Life" with its urban-style breakbeats and just a hint of glitch, proving that Vega is not completely anachronistic with his approach.
Still, given the monotonous nature of many of the tracks on Station, fans of modern electronic music will find difficulty finding enjoyment with this. Vega's vocals are rather sparse with their rockabilly-esque inflections and pseudo-political undertones, sure to remind many of Genesis P'Orridge, though not nearly as cheeky. All in all, Station is an interesting affair that will please aficionados of old-school industrial and avant-garde electronic, although that is a rather selective audience, thus limiting the album's appeal.
